This invention relates generally to personal mobility utility carts, and more particularly to a personal mobility vehicle whose frame components may be quickly dismantled and reassembled for use.
Considerable technological effort has been devoted to three wheeled, self propelled utility vehicles for one person. Such vehicles are rapidly becoming common place for transporting handicapped and physically impaired persons from home or car to other locations.
Many such vehicles are intended for use in conjunction with being transported in an automobile, van or the like. To facilitate transporting such vehicles, although they are, in the first instance, relatively compact, various inventions have been dedicated to both dismantling and reducing the size of such vehicles for loading and unloading to and from a separate automobile or van.
One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,868 to Cresswell which is directed to a three-wheeled self-propelled sulky-type vehicle which includes a frame which is dismantleable from the forward power drive unit and which includes a uniquely disposed seat arrangement. Cresswell has also invented the disassembleable sulky vehicle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,058 which is more particularly directed to a unique seat support structure. Another U.S. Pat. No. to Cresswell, 4,708,219 is similarly directed and includes a tee-bar having hoe-like blades which interlock into a scabbard for demounting the steerable motor driven front wheel assembly and also includes a unique detachable rear wheel arrangement.
Brandenfels in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,578 teaches a dismantleable and collapsible sulky-type utility cart which includes a fully foldable steering handle and removable seat arrangement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,739 to Kramer, a personal mobility vehicle is disclosed having a fold-down steering handle and a forwardly frame section which is disconnectable from the rear frame and drive assembly.
Other somewhat less similar devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,409 to Kramer in which a narrowing rear wheel arrangement is disclosed, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,955 to Hopely which teaches a take apart frame for personal vehicles providing a saddle-type arrangement in conjunction with a conventional latch means for securing the front and rear sections of the frame together.
The present invention provides an extremely easily operable releasable connecting arrangement between the front and rear sections of the frame of a personal self-propelled utility vehicle. The invention facilitates one-handed dismantling and reconnection of the two frame members while atop the ground which provide strength and rigidity in use, but is nonetheless easily operable without the need for any other tools or equipment whatsoever.